After completing the NFTS’s Script Development Diploma Sophie interned with Wildgaze Films. Since then she’s worked in development with Endor, Wall to Wall, Double M Films and freelanced for Channel 4, Red Planet, Studio Canal, Creative England, Mammoth, Big Light, and 42MP. She has script edited on Coronation Street, Emmerdale and most recently on BBC’s Holby City. She also runs a fringe theatre company.

Sophie’s dream is to manage a diverse slate. She cares strongly about finding and building the next generation of talent and developing projects that explore both the everyday, and the exceptional.

Natalie spent ten years working with young people as a teacher and facilitator before making the decision to pursue writing full time. Her previous career highlighted the importance of authentic representation and access to the arts, and her writing has that at its heart. She is passionate about creating work for and about both working class communities and young people, and is currently working on a short film about the Tilbury- Gravesend crossing and a play for a prisons/school’s tour.

She’d love to establish a production company which focuses on telling stories from working class communities in Kent and Essex.

Mum-of-one Mary left a career in business to take a place on Aim High, Northern Ireland Screen’s sought-after traineeship for aspiring producers. She now works for Belfast indie DoubleBand Films making documentaries and factual programmes for Channel 4 and BBC across a variety of genres. Most recently she has been in the operating theatre for a hospital series, back at school for a history doc, as well as working on a feature length documentary on poet Seamus Heaney for BBC.
Despite the often-serious subject matter of her documentaries, Mary remains a smiley Irish woman who loves engaging with people and wants to make meaningful, award-winning documentaries with international reach.

For the past 4 years, Liv has worked in Global Development at Fremantle. Part of a crack team of creatives employed as a remit-less creative resource, she supports and builds the company’s digital, branded and entertainment slates. Her experience and interests are accordingly broad, from developing original formats with Holland, Australia and the US, to producing book trailers for Penguin Random House.

Ultimately, Liv aspires to become the go-to creative for clever, cutting edge content. She also wouldn’t turn down a Webby.

From assisting on drone shoots around remote islands in the Pacific, to filming drug raids at 4am in downtown Newcastle, Sophie’s strengths lie in her ability to adapt to any environment. She has extensive experience of complex shows with a legal interest and thrives when working with sensitive contributors in hostile surroundings.

Sophie hopes to ultimately pursue a career in commissioning and direct some original ideas along the way.

Having trained as a journalist, Alex swapped the world of hard-hitting local news to ponder the greater questions in life: what else can we get a bunch of celebrities to do on telly? After six years working across popular factual and entertainment development, her career pinnacle thus far was being a part of the incredible team responsible for The Circle and Race Across the World, fulfilling her hopes of creating truly original formats. Outside of telly, she is a veteran Glastonbury attendee and already has sweaty palms thinking about the next ticket haul.

Alex would love to create and head up an A-Team of development, making truly original, truly ambitious and truly ludicrous new formats to sell across the world.

Sarah Breese is a comedy producer, writer and performer. Based in Cardiff, she started in TV drama, winning a BAFTA Cymru Award as part of the Titles & Graphics team (for BBC/S4C’s Hinterland, 2015).

In 2016 she moved to comedy full-time. Her recent credits include Rhod Gilbert’s Work Experience, The Unexplainers, and Stand Up From BBC Wales (in which she also appeared). She is currently producing a 3×60′ Welsh-language stand-up series for S4C, and Welcome Strangers, a 4×30′ sketch series for Radio Wales. As a performer, she recently completed a second series performing opposite Sally Phillips in BBC Wales’ sitcom, Tourist Trap.

Her career ambition is to produce for an indie or in-house team specializing in scripted comedy, and develop sitcoms that compete with the best in the UK and internationally.

Joanna is a tenacious and empathetic assistant producer who has worked with award winning directors, producers and screenwriters. She has a proven track record of accessing sensitive contributors from hard to reach communities and approaches every project with meticulous attention to detail.

She is drawn to productions looking at the lived experiences of people underrepresented in the media. Some of her recent credits include BAFTA award winning Grenfell for BBC1 and a series of documentary shorts on the history of LGBTQ people of colour for gal-dem.

Her ultimate goal is to produce award winning and genre-bending documentaries that represent marginalised people with nuance and depth. She wants to make films that make a real difference and spark conversations about the society we live in.

Hannah loves nothing more than to explore new ideas, new places and get to know new faces. Her flair for story-telling and compassionate attitude really came to the fore throughout her time on Ambulance, and was developed when she also made her first film for BBC Three this year, Car Girls. Hannah’s ultimate goal is to make documentaries that make people think. Outside of work you’ll generally find her outdoors.

Hannahs overall goal to make documentaries that make people think. She’d also love to help run a company with a nurturing and respectful work culture.

Rose started her career in community radio in 2012. She has since built a career in writing, shooting, directing and developing a broad range of factual TV. Flitting between production and development, she’s worked on everything from One Show family reunion VTs to big-brand living history.

She prides herself in having a sharp eye for things others might miss, as well as her empathy and ability to build trust with interviewees. She’s also a portrait artist and is fluent in German.

Rose would love to develop, write, produce and direct a landmark factual series which makes a lasting positive impact on viewers and contributors.

In equal measure strategic and creative, Jasmyn is a Development Producer with a broad skill set. She has created formats, spotted talent, hung out with a thousand dogs and a hundred fire-fighters. Experienced across multiple broadcasters and genres, she’s been the brain behind commissions ranging from a primetime quiz show, innovative new formats and presenter led journeys. She has a particular gift for dreaming up the next generation of genre defining formats and factual entertainment hits.

Jasmyn has long aspired to work in commissioning and would like to one day become a Popular Factual and Factual Entertainment commissioner.

Passionate about science and the arts, Patricia found her calling in specialist factual television. From popular consumer science to big budget documentary, she has an aptitude for understanding audiences and is driven by bringing new viewers to the genre.

Excited by the future of the industry her long-term ambitions are to be at the forefront of change, whether in a senior production role or starting her own company.

Story telling is the heart of all of Naomi’s work as both producer and script editor and particularly elevating and supporting less heard voices and communities. Sea swimming, inept but enthused dancing and sitting down are all extra-curricular activities enjoyed alongside working in both factual and scripted programmes.

Her career goal is to keep emboldening new exciting stories in a space where creativity is supported by finance, not beholden to it.

Zaynab is a factual and fact-ent producer. She was born, raised and still lives in East London. She studied Politics at SOAS, and before entering TV gained experience in the charity sector, worked in retail and spent time travelling solo in different parts of the world. Zaynab has gained experienced in development, casting, and editorial planning. When she’s not working, Zaynab can be found attempting to master yoga and trying to keep her vegetable plants alive.

Zaynab’s ultimate career goal is to become a commissioner in factual programming.

Hannah is a freelance Producer/Director with experience working across documentary, current affairs and factual formats. Her credits include BBC One’s Panorama, Channel 4’s First Dates and BBC Two’s landmark series We Are British Jews.

She has a particular interest in character-led observational documentary and prides herself on her ability to develop strong on-camera relationships with sensitive and vulnerable contributors.

Hannah wants to continue to make films with a strong social conscience. Her ultimate ambition is to develop and direct her own BAFTA winning documentary.

Katie is an experienced producer/director across broadcast, feature and commercial documentary. She made RTS -nominated Panorama’s Can Violent Men Change? following domestic abusers on a raw and emotional journey of rehabilitation. She went on to direct the BBC Teach re-versioning of Stephen Lawrence: The Murder that Changed a Nation.

With her innate ability to connect with contributors, Katie excels in getting untold stories to screen, and revels in meeting new characters with compelling tales to tell.

In the future, I want to be directing landmark series and singles and broadening access to the industry.

Kate first learnt the craft of creating new ideas whilst working as a PA for Kay Mellor at Rollem Productions. Kate is now a Development Producer at Shiny Button. Having joined at its conception, as a Team Assistant, Kate quickly progressed and has played an active role developing new and exciting voices for the company. Kate is constantly looking for unusual and, most likely, northern stories.

Kate aspires to set up a regionally-based Indie to produce Television across comedy and drama in her hometown Leeds, which can support and nurture new regional voices and stories.

Former BBC production trainee who graduated that highly competitive scheme onto the inaugural team at BBC Three, Inez is never afraid to take on many and varied roles. At BBC Comedy she AP’d Josh and This Country, creating their online content. She is now developing her own slate. In her spare time Inez organises comedy nights and will take 35mm photos and cry at your wedding for a small fee.

Inez wants to make big ambitious shows, increase representation in front of and behind the camera and to carry a tripod without trapping her fingers.

Poppy is an accomplished Producer who has extensive experience in both development and production. She has worked on BAFTA-winning factual dramas, investigative projects, short-form content and specialist factual programmes. She is particularly passionate about observational documentaries and has recently worked on several critically acclaimed series, including Drugsland (BBC Three) and School (BBC Two). She is currently working in development for a new Bristol based indie and on a feature film project for Storyville.

Her ambition is to direct captivating, award-winning documentaries, telling previously untold stories with real heart, humour and humanity.

James got his first taste of script development when he wrote for CBBC’s Dani’s House age 15. After a stint at university, he worked in development at Fremantle and then joined Mammoth Screen as a script editor across projects such as Noughts & Crosses for BBC and Vanity Fair and Fearless for ITV. He joined Studio Lambert as Head of Drama Development in 2019.

He wants to work with the best talent to tell great stories that provoke debate and hold up a mirror to the broad range of voices across the country.

Maya is a dedicated and creative shooting AP who is driven by a passion for telling stories with real social impact, and is skilled in gaining difficult and sensitive access. Recent work (School for BBC2, and The Line for BBC 3) has demonstrated her aptitude for embedding herself within communities and sensitively drawing out the stories of the most vulnerable.

Maya’s ambition is to become a filmmaker with a reputation for making intimate films that give a voice to the marginalized and spark debate.

Charlie specialises in long-running drama, overseeing Fremantle’s eight daily dramas worldwide including Neighbours, working with production teams to ensure the longevity and success of our shows.

Charlie also has a keen interest in young adult content, leading a UK wide research project speaking to young adults, ensuring Fremantle creates impactful YA content.

Charlie’s career goal is to create and develop exciting, relatable content for young adults that is as bold and diverse as its audience.

From marijuana-smoking nuns to dogs saving Britain, Lucy’s development career has revolved around Fact Ent formats that raise the nation’s eyebrows. She has thrived in teams at BBC Creative Label, betty, Firecracker Films and now MultiStory Media, with credits including Gone to Pot (ITV), You Are What You Wear (BBC1) and a soon-to-be-announced Netflix series.

Prior to working in development, Lucy completed her MA at the NFTS. Her graduation pilot was subsequently optioned by betty and won Best Unscripted Pilot at the New York TV Festival 2017.

A passionate northerner, she always comes with Yorkshire Tea.

Lucy plans to move back to Yorkshire where she ultimately hopes to establish a Leeds-based indie exploring Augmented Reality formats.

Claire has been passionate about drama since watching Andrew Davies’ inspiring Pride and Prejudice at a young age. After completing a degree in Film Studies and an MA in Producing Film and TV at Royal Holloway, her first job in TV was at talkbackTHAMES. She then worked her way up in development at Projector Pictures and spent time script editing on Holby City before joining the team at Carnival to develop new and existing projects on the slate.

Claire’s ambition is to lead a development team creating prestige drama which promotes parity and inclusivity to inspire a new generation to enter the industry.

Rubina is a digital all-rounder who can shoot, story produce and edit short-form, specialising in making factual content about underdogs. She has produced two series for BBC Three, has made documentaries in vertical at Barcroft for Snapchat and is currently making an Op-Ed for the New York Times.

She is also a co-creator of a new podcast for BBC Sounds called Brown Girls Do It Too.

She dreams of running a video unit that produces factual content that inspires like Akala, has all the sass of Yung Filly and creates meaningful impact like Greta Thunberg.

A go getting, feisty, female director with a huge amount of passion and energy, Afia is currently in post production for the pilot episode of new TV drama A Place Of Safety, starring Harris Dickinson.

Selected for the BBC new talent Hotlist, Afia has directed BBC primetime continuing drama Eastenders and was second unit director on series two of Carnival Film’s period drama Jamestown for SKY/NBCU.

Currently developing several feature projects for film and television, Afia aspires to make distinctive, provocative and impactful high end TV drama for global audiences.

Hannah perfected the art of tea making as a Runner before working in production and development at Big Talk, where she received a BroadcastTech Young Talent nomination. At Retort Hannah was across both series of BAFTA winning Chewing Gum, before joining Hat Trick as a Development Producer. She’s typically spotted at comedy venues across London, usually in a loud shirt. Hannah has a GSOH and WLTM fellow TV lovers that also enjoy a cheesy bio.

She wants to produce funny shows from unheard voices.

Zoe’s background is in producing Entertainment, Fact-Ent and Lifestyle programming, having worked on award-winning shows. Her credits include: Celebs In Solitary (Ch5), Flinch (Netflix), Celebrity Meltdown (Ch5), Billionaire B&B (RTE), Snog, Marry, Avoid (BBC) and GMTV. Zoe took up the post of Head of Development at Green Inc Film and Television in 2018, where she has been developing ideas for UK, Irish and American markets, with successful commissions. Zoe is an RTS NI committee member and has mentored several up-and-coming talented individuals within the Northern Irish TV sector. She is also bilingual in Spanish and English.

Zoe aims to set up her own production company specialising in Entertainment, Fact-Ent and Lifestyle programming with an emphasis on unearthing and nurturing new talent. She aspires to produce content not only for the UK and Ireland but also Latin American markets, where she spent various years living.

Natasha Jarvis is a new director currently working on C5’s hit documentary series Our Yorkshire Farm. Her previous credits include high-profile series, including BBC2’s Hospital and BBC3’s Junior Doctors. She’s passionate about films that act as social commentary, and in bringing stories from the margins into public discourse. She has filmed on several international co-productions in remote parts of Cambodia, China and Tibet, and has edit producing experience.

Natasha’s goal is to direct and exec produce one-off documentaries for broadcast. She also seeks to play a role in supporting the industry become more diverse.

Having storylined and script edited over 120 hours of BAFTA-winning EastEnders, Bria recently swapped the mean streets of Walford for the meaner streets of Afghanistan, script editing series four of Our Girl. Curious, highly creative and an unashamed fan of a colour-coded story spreadsheet, Bria thrives on supporting and collaborating with writers of all genres. Work aside, Bria loves slam poetry, performance art and Italian food.

Bria dreams of producing award-winning, gritty, witty and distinctive drama and comedy drama, forging long partnerships with emerging and diverse writers.